Surface mounting 2 x 4 drop in lights

[Beachbum]

Hey guys,

I have just finished building a 30 x 30 garage with 10' ceilings. I am planning out my electrical rough in and have been surfing the site for a day or two. I recently aquired some free 4 light 2 X 4 drop in lights. I have ten of them complete with bulbs and ballasts. My question is " What is the best way to use them in my new garage?" The ceiling is going to be covered in drywall and I don't think my joists are wide enough to cut out the drywall and flush mount them. Can I surface mount them or do I have to hang them from chains. Also, should I remove the covers and expose the bare bulbs? Any ideas would really help. Thanks for all your help.

 

[67 455 Bird ragtop]

Open them up and look to see if there are some holes to put screws through. Look unde the cover where the ballast goes. If there are, and I would bet that is the case, nail up some 1x4's between the trusses so that they are long enough for you to attach the lights to. This is how I plan to mount my surface mount 4-light 2x4 fixtures.

 

[Beachbum]

Thanks for the response. I forgot about putting some blocking behind each one to mount the fixtures. I am sure they have holes in them. What are you doing about the covers?

 

[5wndwcpe]

In my old shop I just ran drywall screws right through the sheetmetal and into the ceiling joists. Connect them to each other with BX cable and you're good to go.

 

[tennsmith]

We put the drop in flourescent fixtures in my friend's garage. Cut sections of 1 1/4" dowel rod about 2" long and drilled holes through them for standoff's.

Then, depending on where the light was located vs position of ceiling joists, we drilled holes in the top of the light fixture and used 3 1/2" deck screws to screw them up to the ceiling.

 

[bravenrace]

In my old shop I just ran drywall screws right through the sheetmetal and into the ceiling joists. Connect them to each other with BX cable and you're good to go.

I did the same thing. So far so good.

 

[dipper]

I've got some commercial style ceiling troffer lights that are designed for installation with 2'x4' ceiling tiles. I was originally going to drywall my ceiling, but after further consideration it is going to be much easier (and cheaper) to do the tile ceiling. Plus I will still have access up into my ceiling joists if I ever have to run another electric,gas, air line etc. etc.

 

[kbs2244]

I like the drop in celing tile idea for the reasons mentioned.
If it is a detatched building, the fire code will not require drywall, which is both heavy and weak.
I doubt your trusses are closer thes 24 inchs on center.
I would think about screwing some 1x2's across the back of the fixures so you can hang them from the top of the bottom chord of the trusses.
Once you like the placment, screw the 1x2's to the trusses and then fill in with celing tiles around them.

 

[1320stang]

I did the same thing. So far so good.

+3............

 

[Beachbum]

Hey Guys,

Thank you for all the great ideas! This web site and the folks on it are the best source of information out there. Glad to be part of it.

 

[g17jimmy]

My ceiling isn't drywall/finished, but I just used some 3 inch screws to suspend the lights about 2 inches below the studs. I didn't think that blocking would be necessary since people suspend them from chains, I just have the suspended by screws.